2024 SUPER CLASSIC PRE ’99 FORMULA FORDS @ MALLORY PARK

Having completed its first two meetings of the 2024 season, the BRSCC’s Super Classic Pre ‘99 Formula Ford Championship is ready to touch down for its third outing of the year, as the drivers move on to the rapid little speed bowl that is Mallory Park in Lincolnshire, as the drivers compete as part of the Classic & Modern Motorsport Club’s race weekend.

The Super Classic Pre ‘99 Formula Ford Championship provides a home for Kent-engined Formula Ford chassis built between 1967 and 1998, with competition across four classes split between different age ranges. In 2024, the championship visits some of the best suited and most popular circuits for Formula Ford racing including Brands Hatch, Silverstone, Donington Park, Oulton Park and indeed Mallory Park.

Each of the four classes are embroiled in their own battles as well as competing on track against one another, and it’s not uncommon to find various ages of cars representing all four competing at the head of the field. Regardless of the age or make, a well-tuned Formula Ford chassis and engine coupled with a quick driver has every chance of being a front runner, no matter the class.

Super Classic A features the youngest cars on the grid built between 1990 and 1998. So far this season there’s been class wins for Alex Ames at Silverstone and Richard Freye at Oulton Park, both sporting Van Diemens. Other strong competitors here should include the Swifts of Tom Hawkins and Paul Mason, along with the 1992 Mondiale chassis of Neil Hunt and David Porter’s Van Diemen.

Super Classic B houses cars that featured a real boom period for Formula Ford during the 1980s, with cars built between 1982 and 1989 permitted. Two drivers that enjoyed some fine battles at Oulton Park were Chris Stones and Peter Daly, both fighting for position in each of the races in Cheshire. Those scraps look set to continue, and watch out for others on the grid including Lorna Vickers who currently sits second in the class standings.

Cars built between 1981 and 1972 can be found in Super Classic C, with many different chassis found here spanning another golden era of Formula Ford. So far in 2024, it’s been all about Jake Shortland, a young racer learning his craft at the wheel of a Lola. Four class wins from four starts have been his achievement so far, and will be hard to beat if he’s on the grid.

As for Super Classic D, for cars built before 1972, Oliver Buckton has been another stand-out driver and, like Shortland, has been able to take the fight to younger machinery at the wheel of his Elden. Watch for him to get amongst some of the front runners on more than one occasion, as he’s set to do battle with Ian Fernihough and co in class.

Written by Scott Woodwiss